West coast ambulance operator welcomes audit

Steve Carey thinks it’s about time the province conducted an audit of all private and community ambulance operators.

Carey, is the owner of Tryco Ambulance Service and Mackenzie’s Ambulance Service, and operates private and community-based ambulance services in Port aux Basques, Codroy Valley, Jeffery’s, Woody Point, Norris Point and Point Lemington. He also runs transfer units in Corner Brook, Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor under the Caring Hands brand.

His reaction to the audit, announced by Health Minister John Haggie on Tuesday, is not surprising as he’s spoken out in the past about the need for changes in the province’s ambulance services.

The audit comes as a result of concerns related to availability and staffing across the province.

Carey has seen other reviews, but this time he feels things are different.

“This time around the government has the right to dig into our contracts and verify that we actually have the staff hired that we’re supposed to have hired and that we’re paying out the amounts of money that are required in the contract, and that we’re meeting the obligations in the contract.”

He said he has no trouble meeting the obligations of his contract, but he knows the review will find that certain operators are paying no attention to the contracts.

His opinion on that is: “We are being paid to do a job. Do what we are being paid to do.”

Carey has already been contacted and asked to provide records from his companies related to payroll, staffing and timesheets from April 1, 2016 to Sept. 30 of this year and intends to comply by 4 p.m. today.